Hi November bandsters!

Let's keep this going to support our efforts though out the wonderful we are soon to begin. Let's start with the date we are being banded and where?

Our weight and goal weight...

My date will be November 7

Dr. Aceves

I weighed myself this morning and I have gained!!! :faint:

Starting weight 225 (highest ever!!! )

Goal 150

10/26 Jdru (Jessica) 215/215/125 Dr. Hansen (Honorary Nov Bandster)

11/1 melany72 Dr. Hargroder

11/2 DeniseC (Denise) 226/219/130 Dr. Carbonell

11/2 prbrooksie 252/252/150 Dr. Malley

11/2 Kym828 (Kim) 278/278/175 Dr. Ortiz

11/2 pebbles4388 249/249/150

11/3 Jess333 (Jessica ("Lil" Red)) Dr. Ortiz

11/7 AngelaT (Angela) 225/225/150 Dr. Aceves

11/7 Jackye 225/225/150-45 Dr. Rumbaut

11/8 L8BloomR (Karen) goal: -105 Dr. Francis

11/8 dpingl goal: -92 Dr. Hoehn

11/8 niecyrenee goal: -232, down 8 Dr. Pitt

11/9 Keekahari (Kee) 280/245/175 Dr. Moazzez

11/10 FullofGRACE Dr. Curry

11/10 alix_1 (Alix) 222/222/140 Dr. Garza

11/13 swilborn (Sherrie) Size 22/???/140 Dr. Rodriquez

11/14 ahaizlip (Amy) goal: -129 Dr. Liu

11/17 Asmallerchick (Kelly) goal: -200 Dr. Aceves

11/20 Diana_G 234/234/145 Dr. Huacuz

11/20 Veggestyle 275/?/150 Dr. M

11/20 Laurba

11/21 Jess02 (Jess) Dr. Rumbaut

11/24 aussie_bandit 153kg/153kg/75kg

11/30 Inner_me (Chris) 350/350/200 Dr. Cahill

My doctor said that the national average is losing 60% of your excess weight, and keeping it off. with gastric bypass, the average is 80% coming off and then regaining 20% of it. Then he asked me if I'd be happy with losing 60% of my excess weight and I said yes. (But I'm shooting for more!)

So for me that would only be around 40 pounds? I would not be happy with that after spending 17,000 to get skinny...lol

PR: I think it would be 52 pounds.

Losing weight and keeping it off is good. But better is losing ALL the weight and keeping it off. I decided to believe he was throwing down the gauntlet and challenging me to do better than the average. Some days I do... er, some hours I do.

My doctor said that the national average is losing 60% of your excess weight, and keeping it off. with gastric bypass, the average is 80% coming off and then regaining 20% of it. Then he asked me if I'd be happy with losing 60% of my excess weight and I said yes. (But I'm shooting for more!)

My doctor is not a prepotent of the band in most cases because the weight loss is not as dramatic. I believe he told me that bypass loss 60-80% of the excess weight at 1 year whereas band patients lose 40-60% at the same mark. Per the "charts", I was 100 pounds overweight at the time of my initial consult with him. (I had already lost almost 30 pounds on my own in the 5 months prior to the consult.) He (and I) both felt that the ideal weight would not be a healthy weight for my frame but that 60 pounds would be near ideal for me so felt I would be a great candidate for the band instead of the bypass. (He rarely suggests the band for patients needing to lose more than 100 pounds.) But losing 60 pounds in one year would be just over 1 pound a week. When concerned that the weight is not melting away, keep that in mind. It may help keep things in perspective.

(One of the reasons he doesn't suggest the band for weight loss of greater than 100 pounds is that often ater the first year, compliance is greatly reduced and the frustration increases which often leads to a regain of the loss weight. This doesn't mean it can't be successful, but be prepared for stumbling blocks along the way. You'll need mental toughness to get through the bumps in the road.)

Tom

Way to go Denise!! You are already over 1/4 of the way there.....congrats

I need to lose 80 lbs. I've only lost 14 lbs since my nov. 10 surgery. I'm happy with that. Slow but sure is much healthier. My dad had gastric bypass and ended up very sickly. My husband is overweight and I want him to get the band too. He doesn't want anything to do with it. I can't stand being overweight and me losing weight and him not will be hard. Any ideas how to get him to want to lose.?

I am hoping I can get to Onederland by next week. I wish I had a bit of a fill... My portions have been getting bigger... but it does feel uncomfortable after. How is everyone doing with eating slowly? This week I have felt rushed and eat fast as a result.:nervous

I'm headed for my6 second fill Jan 12th. Can't wait. The amt. of restriction that I have varied from moderate to none. I guess I'm supposed to learn patience. I keep eating old style without thinking. Lately, I've found that taking one huge deep breath before eating anything helps to re-set me to think about it, eat slowly, and chew alot.

I finally chucked my Flintstone vitamins! Switched to GNC chewable Solotrons. I feel so adult :-)

I'm headed for my6 second fill Jan 12th. Can't wait. The amt. of restriction that I have varied from moderate to none. I guess I'm supposed to learn patience. I keep eating old style without thinking. Lately, I've found that taking one huge deep breath before eating anything helps to re-set me to think about it, eat slowly, and chew alot.

I finally chucked my Flintstone vitamins! Switched to GNC chewable Solotrons. I feel so adult :-)

I am so glad you no longer take flinstones...might be ok for kids under 5 but not for adults. I don't know how some physicians recommend them!!

Yes, adult chewables are best...and the soft chewables they sell...forget their name, are not very good...one of the top ingredients is corn syrup which is worst than sugar!

Yeah. This one has no corn syrup but it does have some sorbitol. I guess chewables have to be flavored somehow. Do you know of any without sugar or artificial sugar?

So what's a good chewable vitamin? BUMMER about flintstones. I just had my 2nd fill yesterday. I don't feel much more restriction yet. I think the docs do baby steps with us so we get used to it. I'm glad because i forget sometimes and if i had total restriction i probably would have choked to death. I have to mentally be aware when i eat now, before i was automatic pilot when i ate. I have to slow way down and i still struggle with drinking at the same time as eating. That's hard for me to break.

So what's a good chewable vitamin? BUMMER about flintstones. I just had my 2nd fill yesterday. I don't feel much more restriction yet. I think the docs do baby steps with us so we get used to it. I'm glad because i forget sometimes and if i had total restriction i probably would have choked to death. I have to mentally be aware when i eat now, before i was automatic pilot when i ate. I have to slow way down and i still struggle with drinking at the same time as eating. That's hard for me to break.

Most will have a little sugar or artificial sweetner unfortunately, but if you get it from Whole Foods or even the ones they sell at Trader Joes, you will do well. Also supplement Vit C buy also from whole Foods or other high quality health place. Don't forget the sublingual B6, B12 and folic acid...sold also at TJ's or Whole Foods! Very important for anyone especially those of us with WLS.

Thanks Angela. Boy did i speak to soon about my band,. It is hard for me to eat anything solid right now. I can't eat any rice or bread at all. OUCH it hurts when it gets stuck . I 'm just learning what will or won't work for me. I'm going on a 7 day carnival cruise , so the food will be a challenge. Oh well, I want to lose weight and this will be a good way . Bye for now, Kelley

OK November Bandsters...where are you?!!! How are your New Year's goals going???? Well I am down to 22lbs and this morning the scale showed slightly under maybe 199 but it will not be official until it is actually under ans has been there for at least a full day!

KAren, good luck on your first fill tomorrow!!!!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I will try to call you today. I begin packing today ...what a job! :faint:

Hope you are all doing well!

i have been a silent Nov. bandster..was banded Nov. 14.

Have lost about 19 lbs. so far. i hope they give me a good fill tomorrow as i am having a terrible time with eating too much......especially at night.

No restriction with the band or myself! lol

cal

Down 33 pounds from my highest weight.

Down 18 pounds since presurgery. (or 20 pounds...depends on the day). Stuck for the moment but hopeful. Learning from each good time and from each "cheat" and going for a second fill in a week. I really think I got stuck when I ran out of Muscle Milk Light for my snacks. It kind of threw me off my program. Ordered more on eBay and anxiously awaiting.....